Worst to first

About halfway through his 60-second fight Tuesday night, Weston Rutkowski was flipped to the ground hard by a Rockin’ B and Magnifica bull called Manchada.

Bullfighters Only’s reigning world champion was down, but he wasn’t there for long.

"I got caught throwing too many left fakes, but he kept putting me in that shoulder, so I had to," he said of his bull’s advances. "He cut me off and flipped me, but I was able to catch my whereabouts and figure out where I was."

It was a solid rebound that led to his 86.5-point and a BFO-Dodge City victory. He sealed the title by cross-jumping the bull at the end of his bout.

"I got to prove to the people in Dodge that I know how to fight a bull," he said with a laugh, pointing out that he finished in last place a year ago during the BFO’s inaugural visit to the western Kansas town.

"When you’ve got guys like Zach Call and Cody Greer after you, you better finish it with a bang or else you’ll go home second."

Of the five men in the fight, Rutkowski was the third to go. Schell Apple of Fay, Okla., had posted a 77-point fight, which was followed by an 81 from Beau Schueth of O’Neill, Neb.

Call’s bull, Dueno de Nada, tested the Mullen, Neb., man, but faded toward the end of the bout. Greer, of Chelsea, Okla., started off a solid fight, but the bull got the better of him in a couple of situations towards the end of his 60 seconds.

Rutkowski utilized a strong bull, even though the Haskell, Texas, bullfighter had to be the aggressor in several instances throughout the match.

"I finally drew pretty good," he said. "You have to take advantage of the good ones. Every bullfight is important, and it’s good to win this one. Now we move forward and get ready for Sikeston (Mo.)."